Keeping A Secret
by December'sRose
Summary: It pained him to think he would have to keep this from the others. Hoagie centric one-shot Pre INTERVIEWS Number 53 of the 100 Theme Challenge.


Title: Keeping a Secret

Rated K  
Summary: It pained him to think he would have to keep this from the others. Hoagie centric one-shot Pre INTERVIEWS Number 53 of the 100 Theme Challenge.

Disclaimer: I don't own KND

A/N: Here's another one-shot for my 100 Theme Challenge. As usual, if you want more information feel free to contact me, Numbuh 212 or Super Reader for details via PM or email.

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It was times like these where Hoagie wished he wasn't so persistent.

'He's leaving!?' He thought to himself loudly while trudging into the tree house. The pilot had just come back from his weekly Yipper card trading game tournament with some of his fellow 2x4 technical scientists. He bit his bottom lip solemnly, his thoughts racing.

Hoagie wished he hadn't been so competitive. One loss, just one loss . . . but furiously, he had called a rematch. If the pilot hadn't stuck around he most likely wouldn't have heard the news in the first place!

It had been a week since Numbuh Infinity and Chad disappeared. Since then Nigel, leader of Sector V and son to the legendary Numbuh Zero himself, had taken matters into his own hands to figure out what he was chosen for. Hoagie knew Nigel hated being left in the dark more than anything.

"Wish I could have been left in the dark too." Hoagie muttered bitterly, knowing his words were only half true. He didn't even know how to elaborate how frustrated he was. His best friend was going to be sent to the Galactic Kids Next Door in just a few days, and here he was; the one unable to tell his leader, the one who was supposed to know nothing in the first place and wonder what was going on when his team realized that their leader was never coming back!

Never coming back. He plopped himself on his bed, the silence was heavy in his room as he sighed, cringing at the words. Never coming back.

It pained him to think he would have to keep this from the others . . . especially Abby. Since he joined Sector V, he knew as everyone else did how profound a friendship Abby and Nigel shared. He'd often find himself jealous with the fact when he caught the two talking quietly amongst themselves of matters that were apparently not for other ears. Hoagie knew Abby would be deeply affected by this change more than the rest of them.

The tree house was silent; he wasn't sure where everyone else was. He didn't pass them when he made his way towards his room; Hoagie figured they were either in their own rooms or not in the tree house at all. This was the way he guessed the silence would feel like once his leader was gone: alone, empty . . . broken. Their team would be broken; they would never be able to see Nigel again.

Hoagie blinked back tears that were stinging his eyes. It just wasn't fair. Why did he have to know about this before the rest of his sector? Why did this have to happen!? The 2x4 technical scientist who had accidentally told him the information in the first place tried to comfort him with the possible idea of Nigel's return but Hoagie knew better: Nigel would never be coming back.

He wasn't supposed to know, but the KND scientists had such a bad reputation of blabbing classified news. Now he was expected to do the opposite and keep it classified. Why should he keep this a secret from his friends? They told each other everything, with the exception of Wally and Kuki who were both still pondering on the possibility whether they ought to tell the other how they _really_ felt. The thought of Hoagie's two best friends bickering constantly to keep from flirting brought a smile to his face . . . the first time he had smiled since morning. The unwanted news reentered his mind as swiftly as it left, memories from the first time they met settling in gracefully. Ever since Kindergarten, the two had been best friends. He couldn't believe how long they had known each other . . . it just seemed surreal that their years of friendship would just simply . . . end.

'_Listen to yourself; you're mopin' around here in your room all depressed while the others are probably out having fun'_ a voice in the back of head chided. _'Wake up, Hoagie; if there were a solution for this problem you know for a fact that this ain't it. Get off your rear and go do something 'bout it instead of mopin'!' _

Why did the voice in the back of his mind sound so much like Abby? The pilot chuckled a bit at this, wiping away the last of his tears. Abby, or whoever, had been right. What was done was done, there was no way he'd be able to change the minds of the GKND no matter how unfair the situation was. Ideas began entering his mind, things he could do secretly to help his best friend prepare for the trip. With that, he sat up on his bed, mind reeling at all the 2x4 weapon possibilities that he could create for this occasion.

"Numbuh 2, ya' around here anywhere!?"  
"_Hello_!? Numbuh 2!? Where are you? We're going to the movies to go see '**It's An Extravagant Rainbow Monkey Wedding' **movie and we want you to come!"

"Crud, Numbuh 2, are ya gonna answer us or not!? I don't want to sit through that mushy gunk all alone!"

"Numbuh 2, I demand you respond immediately. The movie starts in fifteen minutes and we don't have much time to spare!"

At this Hoagie found himself rolling his eyes. "Coming!" he called back. He shook his head, realizing that his inventions would have to wait due to the previous interruption of his best friends. Still, it wasn't a bad interruption, he thought as he hopped off of his bed and made his way towards his door. Days like these, where they could all just relax and enjoy one another's company, were limited. After Nigel left, these days just wouldn't be the same. Hoagie shoved his earlier thoughts in the back of his head (except the imaginary blueprints for his inventions, of course) when he joined his friend realizing for the first time that not telling the others beforehand was probably one of his better ideas. After all, no one likes it when their secret's out.

-Fin-

A/N: Okay, for this I really just improvised. The plot bunny attacked during the third time I watched INTERVIEWS (Heh, I have it recorded). It's pretty simple and I was trying really hard not to make it melodramatic. How do you think I did? A review is always appreciated and I love constructive crit! Well, that's all for now I guess, thanks for reading and until next time guys!

-Never let go of the one you truly love

-December'sRose


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